Peralta Community College District
Annual Program Update Template 2010-2011
Each discipline will complete this form to update program reviews developed in 2009-2010. These will
be reviewed at the college level and then forwarded to the district-wide planning and budgeting
process. The information on this form is required for all resource requests – including faculty staffing
requests – for the 2011-12 budget year.
I.
Overview
Date Submitted:
10/18/2010
Dean:
Thomas Branca
BI Download:
10/07/2010
Dept. Chair:
Hank Fabian, Arja McCray
Discipline:
BIOSC
Campus:
Merritt
Mission
A) Train students on cutting-edge equipment so as to provide access to fulfilling
careers in high growth, high tech fields of microscopy, genomics, histopathology,
EM and related fields.
B) Develop financially self-sustaining programs that include opportunities for
student research.
C) Establish and maintain partnerships with local, national, and international
institutions, agencies, and corporations that can provide employment and support.
D) Develop production facilities which will generate income for the program.
Page 1 of 13
II.
Student Data
A. Enrollment
Fall 2008
Fall 2009
Fall 2010
161.0
209.0
73.0
9.0
11.0
3.0
Total FTES
18.81
22.33
12.06
Total FTEF
2.08
1.74
0.78
FTES/FTEF
9.05
12.83
15.45
Enrolled
159.0
212.0
N/A
Retained
144.0
200.0
% Retained
90.0
94.0
N/A
N/A
159.0
101.0
63.0
15.0
9.0
212.0
132.0
62.0
12.0
5.0
Census Enrollment (duplicated)
Sections (master sections)
B. Retention
C. Success
Total Graded
Success
% Success
Withdraw
% Withdraw
III.
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Faculty Data (ZZ assignments excluded)
Fall 2010
Contract FTEF
Hourly FTEF
Extra Service FTEF
Total FTEF
% Contract/Total
0.78
0.0
0.0
0.78
100.0
IV. Faculty Data Comparables F2010 (ZZ assignments excluded) (Z assignments excluded)
Contract FTEF
Hourly FTEF
Extra Service FTEF
Total FTEF
% Contract/Total
Alameda
Berkeley
Laney
Merritt
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.78
0.0
0.0
0.78
100.0
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V.
Qualitative Assessments
CTE and Vocational: Community and labor market
relevance. Present evidence of community need
based on Advisory Committee input, industry need
data, McIntyre Environmental Scan, McKinsey
Economic Report, licensure and job placement rates,
etc.
Microscopy Program was developed with
guidance from industry and academic partners
(focus group, then Advisory Board), and in
response to other market research, including
data from EDD. Labor forecasts indicate a
strong current and future demand. This is
corroborated by feedback from the industry, as
well as information gathered at several
professional meetings this year. Genomics is
still in the process of being developed but the
labor market suggests a rapid growth in the
next three to five years.
Transfer and Basic Skills: Describe how your
course offerings address transfer, basic skills, and
program completion.
Basic skills are required to succeed in these
classes. Currently all classes are transferable
as credit.
VI. Strategic Planning Goals
Check all that apply.
Describe how goal applies to your program.
Advance Student Access, Success & Equity
Engage our Communities & Partners
Build Programs of Distinction
Create a Culture of Innovation & Collaboration
Develop Resources to Advance & Sustain Mission
Currently we are working with microscopy and
genomics companies for internships, advice,
lecturers, etc.
No other community colleges offer programs in
microscopy or genomics as they are offered at
Merritt College.
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VII. College Strategic Plan Relevance
Check all that apply
New program under development
Program that is integral to your college’s overall strategy
Program that is essential for transfer
Program that serves a community niche
Programs where student enrollment or success has been demonstrably affected by extraordinary
external factors, such as barriers due to housing, employment, childcare etc.
Other
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VIII. Action Plan
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Please describe your plan for responding to the above data. Consider curriculum,
pedagogy/instructional, scheduling, and marketing strategies. Also, please reference any cross district
collaboration with the same discipline at other Peralta colleges.
Include overall plans/goals and specific action steps.
Overall requirements for Bioscience Department
We will continue to develop the Merritt Microscopy and Genomics programs as outlined in our strategic
plans and in response to industry needs.
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1. Bioscience Coordinator position is needed to oversee the goals, structure, marketing, grants,
production labs, outreach, research, development, strategic planning, staffing, faculty recruitment,
contract education, budget, and facilities of all Bioscience Programs within Merritt College. The
Coordinator would also coordinate directors of the programs listed below and work in conjunction with
directors to ensure optimum lab production and student success.
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2. Director positions for each program are needed to manage the specific needs of each program, as
outlined below.
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3. Facilities needs are urgent and include: tissue culture lab, microscope rooms, and all genomics labs.
Some of this will be accomplished through room renovations in building D, and through initial localization
of equipment in the district-owned 860 Atlantic biotech building. The new Merritt College Science
building will include genomics and microscopy facilities.
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4. Technical support is vital to these programs. We are in need of full-time and part-time technicians in
order to offer open lab time for student training and study and in order to maintain the equipment.
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5. Creation of pedagogical training pods is planned, for appropriate lab courses. These pods would
allow students to work in small groups with lab professionals for shadowing and ultimately hands-on
proficiency training. Lab professionals will receive stipends and/or access to equipment.
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6. Pedagogically, it is important for students to have access to the equipment at all times. The
programs are based on hands-on training, and the students are required to spend many hours every
day working on the equipment. Facility (e.g. extended building hours) and technical support (e.g. lab
technicians) is essential in order to accomplish this training.

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7. Development of on-line courses for appropriate lectures that would include discussions with leading
scientists and technicians as well as animations as an outreach component of the program.
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8. Grant writer is needed to assist in obtaining funding from numerous funding opportunities, including
NSF grants, NIH Bridges grants, MARC NIH funding, NIH Area grants, Genentech, CA State
Chancellor’s office Biotech funding, CTE funding and others.
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9. Counselor for internship development and employment placement is needed.
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10. Student scholarships are needed for internships, conferences, books, tuition and supplies, as well
of cost-of-living stipends for select students.

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11. Finance officer is needed to manage purchasing and budgets, including grant funds and funds
obtained from lab production, contract education, and equipment usage.
Page 5 of 13
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12. Administrative manager and CTE specialist is needed to interface with Merritt College
administration, Peralta district, other Peralta Colleges, state and nationwide community colleges, CA
chancellors office.
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13. Intra-district collaborations are in place with COA and with Laney College biomanufacturing
program.
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14. Contract education is planned: This will be a vital source of revenue and also a good marketing
tool.

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15. Paid community use of equipment is planned: This will be a strong revenue source, plus training
and networking opportunity for our students.
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16. Partnerships with local and international institutions include the California Academy of Sciences,
SFSU and the MMP advisory board.
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17. Recruitment of international students is underway.
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18. Marketing efforts are underway in a variety of formats, including online, flyers, brochures, course
catalogue, local listserves, professional conferences, open houses.

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19. Outreach efforts include contact with a variety of local health organizations and biotech companies
and with local Middle and High Schools.

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20. Development of a Histopathology Program would be beneficial, due to the high demand for trained
histopathologists. This would require hiring a director to develop the curriculum, industry partnerships,
and to oversee the purchasing and marketing, and to recruit qualified faculty. Qualified and interested
instructors have already been identified.
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21. Likewise, development of an Electron Microscopy Program (EM) would be beneficial, due to the
high demand in the Bay Area for qualified EM technicians. This would require hiring a director to
develop the program. Qualified and interested instructors have already been identified for this program,
too.
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22. Trained operators of high-throughput screening (HTS) systems are in high demand in Bay Area
biotech companies. This is another program that would be beneficial to develop, and would require the
hiring of a specialized director. HTS systems use robotics and microscopy, so, like the aforementioned
possible directions, this possible program is also a natural fit for Merritt College.

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23. Establish a district account that allows fast turnover of accounts payable and receivable.
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Summary: Genomics is high throughput genetics and the fastest growing area of biotechnology,
encompassing cancer research, drug discovery, forensics, agriculture and horticulture, evolutionary
biology, epidemiology, tracking and exploitation of endangered species and general health awareness.
This area of science relies heavily on computational manipulation of DNA sequences and drives many
areas of informatics. The Bay Area is the world’s leader in both biotechnology and informatics. Hence,
there is a great need in the Bay Area for training in Genomics. Developing a Genomics program at
Merritt College launches our campus into the 21st century. At the time of this writing, our program is
unique, unmatched by any community college world wide.
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
Merritt Microscopy Program


The MMP was launched in S’08. The first cohort of students has completed two semesters of
instruction, along with a variety of summer internships. The program was extended for 3 months, due to
a lack of facilities and supplies.
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Program successes include:
- high retention rate
- high visibility in the Bay Area
- purchase and installation of major imaging systems
- negotiation of over $600,000 in equipment discounts
- donation of ~$160,000 in equipment and supplies
- student internships at UCB, UCSF, SFSU, Touro University, Gallo Center, and in Tennessee,
Canada and Finland
- attendance and networking at ASCB conference, posters and chair duties at Advanced Imaging
conference, Community Open Houses
- strong employment prospects (some students are already placed)
- intangibles of cohesive, hard-working, enthusiastic, driven, very diverse and highly motivated cohort
of fantastic students

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Immediate needs include:

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1) Establish Director position for Microscopy-specific strategic planning, marketing, outreach, grant
writing and administration, advisory board coordination and recruitment, contract education, paid
equipment usage coordination, curriculum coordination, updating and scheduling, equipment
management and maintenance, recruitment, scheduling and mentorship of faculty, student issues,
budget, purchasing, staffing, internship development and coordination, job development, campus and
community relations and communications, shared governance, organization of student and faculty
research, development of sponsorhsips, donations and partnerships.


2) Hire a full-time technician or two part-time technicians to calibrate and maintain the equipment.
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3) Facilities: tissue culture lab, IHC lab, microscopy rooms.
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Plans for the program include:
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a) Establishment of the Bay Area Microscopy Consortium (BAMC): monthly talks that showcase our
students, and local microscopists and their work. The BAMC is also a good networking opportunity and
will result in increased student employment, collaborations and grant writing opportunities.
b) Establish AS or AA degree in Bioscience Microscopy.
c) Student scholarships: funds for conferences, internships, tuition, living expenses.
d) Grants, if release time is obtained, or a grant writer is hired, we can complete the $2 million Bridges
to Baccalaureate grant, investigate and apply for other grants, including Area grants, NSF supplemental
funds, Genentech, State Chancellor’s Biotech grants.
e) Continue to work with Advisory Board.
f) Continue to develop curriculum.
g) Continue to recruit and employ qualified adjunct faculty.
h) Continue to teach many sections of biosci 1 (“feeder course”), plus program courses. Overlapping
Page 7 of 13
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program cohorts may be scheduled.
i) Continue to attend professional conferences with students.
j) Continue to develop and oversee internships.
k) Continue to maintain and manage equipment.
l) Outreach will include 14 visits to local middle and High Schools, plus several on-site events (“Meet
the microscopist”) through the district-wide multimedia CTE grant.
m) Contract ed: there is already a demand for contract courses using our equipment. We require a
coordinator to activate this part of the program.
n) Equipment usage by local scientists: there are already requests to use the imaging systems, but we
require an imaging core coordinator to manage the scheduling, maintenance, and budget. Local
recharge rates are $100/hour for this kind of equipment.
o) Marketing includes brochures, ads, websites, flyers, open houses.
p) Develop local and international sponsorships and partnerships.
q) Continue to solicit equipment donations.
r) Develop student and faculty research using MMP resources.
s) Continue to manage and maintain facilities, budget, equipment, and other MMP resources.
t) Improve facilities, including remodeling of D building rooms and, if possible, space in 860 Atlantic
biotech building (or portables, or leased space). Eventually, we will be located in the new Merritt
Science Building.
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Merritt Genomics Program
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Establish Director position for Genomics specific strategic planning, marketing, outreach, grant writing
and administration, advisory board coordination and recruitment, contract education, paid equipment
usage coordination, curriculum coordination, updating and scheduling, equipment management and
maintenance, recruitment, scheduling and mentorship of faculty, student issues, budget, purchasing,
staffing, internship development and coordination, job development, campus and community relations
and communications, shared governance, organization of student and faculty research, development of
sponsorships, donations and partnerships. In addition, we plan to work with higher educational
institutions for student training and we will develop cooperative relationships to this end.
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Hire full time and part-time technicians who will help to maintain instruments and laboratory conditions
and potentially train students and faculty. In addition, one or more technicians will be involved in set up
and maintenance of computer systems involved in data analysis and tracking of projects.

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Develop and teach courses in data analysis, micro array, colony picking, capillary sequencing, next
generation sequencing, Bac-library production and related areas. Inclusive in these courses will be
training in good laboratory practices, data organization, tracking projects using bar-coding, scientific
presentation, research and experimental design and scientific writing, grant writing, and scientific
publication.
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Genomics will also create a production facility which will help to pay for consumables, staffing, and
equipment. This production facility will be driven by fee-based data analysis and collection from external
sources as well as grants. This is a unique approach in industrial training because it mirrors industrial
level biotechnology and government facilities to exemplify high-throughput data collection and
management. We wish to establish this facility immediately to create an district fund that will help
launch the Genomics Program prior to going to 860 Atlantic Avenue. We wish to establish a district
account for this purpose, bypassing the obstructionism prevalent in the Merritt Business Office.
Page 8 of 13
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Pods will be taught by graduate students, post docs and scientists who wish to use our faculties but who
will provide training to small groups of students in return.
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Genomics will first establish itself at the district owned, 860 Atlantic Building, which must be renovated
to accommodate the equipment we current own and will potentially acquire. Ultimately, a new
Genomics Center will be created at Merritt College as part of the overall campus renovation.

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Online courses will use You Tube or similar resources that will be accessible only to Merritt students
enrolled in the Genomics program.
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Grants: Immediately apply for ABI consumables grant and rewrite NSF grant with San Francisco State
University. Grants will be for consumables, travel, stipends, student and faculty research, equipment,
and hiring of support staff such as lab techs and lab instructors.
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Establish and maintain national and international partnerships with genome centers and universities. We
currently have working relationships with a number of local, national and international institutions and
corporations. These relationships will provide a variety of avenues for attracting potential students,
graduate student trainers, and facilitating partnerships that may lead to grants for consumables and
equipment.
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Establish AS or AA degree in Bioscience Genomics.
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Establish certification programs in sequencing, micro array, data management and Bac-library
development.
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Student scholarships: Funds for conferences, internships, tuition, living expenses.
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Develop an Advisory Board.
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Continue to develop curriculum.
Continue to recruit and employ qualified adjunct faculty.

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Continue to teach many sections of biosci 1 (“feeder course”), plus program courses. Overlapping
program cohorts may be scheduled.

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Attend professional conferences with students to stay on the leading edge of technology and provide
student training in presentation of scientific results.
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Develop and oversee internships.
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Continue to maintain and manage equipment.
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Outreach will include on line courses as well as facility tours to local high schools.

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Contract education: There is already a demand for contract courses using our equipment through UC
extension. We require a coordinator to activate this part of the program.
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Page 9 of 13
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Equipment usage by local scientists: There is the potential for renting time on our equipment to other
institutions and bio tech firms thus providing access to academic researchers who have grant funding
that could utilize this resource, hence attracting potential trainers for our students and helping the facility
to pay for itself by bringing in revenue.
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Marketing includes brochures, ads, websites, flyers, and open houses. Develop local and international
sponsorships and partnerships.

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Continue to solicit equipment donations from the Department of Energy (DOE), Bayer and other
resources. We have already obtained significant donations for the DOE and Bayer.
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Histopathology


Histopathology director to supervise and design labs and develop courses in histopathology. Will work
closely with microbiology and genomics.

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Part time or Full time technician to prepare histopathology labs and maintain the equipment and
supplies.
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Histopathology laboratory for slide preparation and teaching. This lab will require an up to date
microtome as well as staining equipment. A functional hood should also be provided.
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This program will work closely with bay area hospitals which have already expressed interest and will
mirror the development of Genomics and Microscopy.
Page 10 of 13
IX. Needs
Please describe and prioritize any faculty, classified, and student assistant needs.

We need a full time technician for the Microscopy program and we will also need one for the Genomics
program once it is running. Part of the salary should be generated by the production center for
Genomics and microscope rental for Microscopy. We are developing a relationship with Biocare, Inc. for
the Histology program. Negotiations are still pending.
Please describe and prioritize any equipment, material, and supply needs.
Requested funding from Measure A. This plan targets an operations level to support a revenue target of
$3,067,000 per anuum.
Genomics DNA Sequencing System Capital Outlay
Quote
Tax
Total
Illumina HiSeq
$1,050,000
$102,375
$1,152,375
Pac Bio
$1,000,000
$97,500
$1,097,500
Ion Torrent
$100,000
$9,750
$109,750
Ion Torrent Subserver
$16,500
$1,609
$18,109
Sage Science Pippin Prep
$13,000
$1,268
$14,268
$150,000
$14,625
$164,625
Revco Freezers
$75,000
$7,313
PSSC Labs low-end server
$99,995
$0
VWR Wards
CLC bio Software and Subserver $95,750
Computers and Other Software $100,000
Total
$82,313
$99,995
$9,336
$9,750
$105,086
$109,750
$2,953,771
HRSA Grants Tax on
Total without HRSA amount
$472,130
$0
$46,033
$2,999,804
$46,033
Outside Funding
Additional funding and purchases from HRSA grants of $188,100 and $284,030.
Purchases from HRSA Grant C76HF15676-01-00 Excluding Tax
Quote
High-End Covaris (Baseline 12 sample) $151,750
Milipore Flow Cytometer
$36,350
Total without Tax
Tax
$0.00
$0.00
$188,100
Purchases from HRSA Grant C76HF09644-01-00 Excluding Tax
Quote
Tax
Total
IntegenX Apollo 324
$150,000
$0.00 $150,000
Agilent
$58,741
$0.00 $58,741
—Bioanalyzer
—RT-PCR system & reagents
BioRad
—96-well PCR blocks $10,397
$0.00 $10,397
—CHEF Gel System
$15,000
$0.00 $15,000
—PCR Machines
$39,892
$0.00 $39,892
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Total
$151,750
$ 36,350
Qiagen TissueLyzer
$10,000
Total without Tax
$0.00
$10,000
$284,030
Please describe and prioritize any facilities needs.
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X.
Wet laboratory for production immediately.
Laboratory and classrooms as designed for the 860 Atlantic Building in Alameda.
Course SLOs and Assessment
Fall 2010
Number of active courses in your discipline
26
Number with SLOs
26
% SLOs/Active Courses
100%
Number of courses with SLOs that have been assessed
all courses have
assessment plans
% Assessed/SLOs
0
Describe types of assessment methods you are using
Exams, internships and projects
Describe results of your SLO assessment progress
SLO assessment plans have been submitted.
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XI. Program Learning Outcomes and Assessment
Fall 2010
Number of degrees and certificates in your discipline
2 certificates (Microscopy)
Number with Program Learning Outcomes
2 (Microscopy)
Number assessed
In progress
% Assessed
In progress
Describe assessment methods you are using
Internships and jobs.
Describe results of assessment
In progress.
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